Los Angeles Cricket Community is preparing for a historic moment as Major League Cricket arrives at Fairplex in Pomona for its inaugural match at the newly developed Knight Riders Cricket Ground. On July 1, the Los Angeles Knight Riders will take on Washington Freedom, marking more than just the start of a game. It marks the arrival of a new chapter for cricket in Southern California.

In many American communities, a homecoming game is one of the most meaningful sporting traditions — a chance for alumni, families, athletes, and supporters to return, reconnect, and celebrate something that belongs to them. That is what this moment feels like for cricket in Los Angeles County. Cricket has always had roots here, carried by players, parents, coaches, volunteers, and immigrant communities across Southern California. Now, with Major League Cricket arriving at Fairplex Pomona, the sport receives the kind of public stage that feels like a true homecoming.

We were just here during the LA County Fair, standing on these same grounds with families, fans, young athletes, and curious first-time cricket watchers. Given the opportunity to support the Los Angeles Knight Riders’ activations and help promote the sport within the local community, we saw firsthand what cricket can mean when it is placed in the heart of Los Angeles County. Children picked up bats for the first time. Parents asked where their kids could learn. Families from cricket-loving backgrounds saw their culture reflected in one of our Country’s largest public fair. And many others discovered a sport they had only heard about, now coming alive right in their back yard.